Benjamin Barker and Johanna - (Sweeney Todd and his daughter)
by totalphangirl
Summary: what if Benjamin Barker came back home when Johanna was still a baby? what if Judge Turpin had never taken her? what if Benjamin (Sweeney) raised Johanna? would he still be evil? would he still seek vengeance! FIND OUT! (rated T for sex references and well... general Sweeney Todd-ness!)
1. That night

It was a bitter chilly evening when Benjamin Barker hurried into Mrs. Lovett's pie shop. She merely glanced up from her chopping board to see him darting up the stairs cradling a small bundle in his arms. 'You find 'er then love?' Mrs. Lovett asked rather brightly. She failed to see the urgency of the situation. He sprinted up to the room of his barbers shop and flung the door open, causing the crackling fire to tremble and almost completely cease. The bundle in his arms stirred slightly and started to cry. Eight weeks earlier Benjamin was dragged away from his wife and baby daughter, Johanna, on a false charge. He was banished to Australia to do hard labor for the rest of his life, at the merciless hands of Judge Turpin. The foolish young man had noticed the Judge's disturbing interest in his wife but pushed the vile thought out of his mind. After then it was too late.

After escaping the prison and stowing away on a ship to England, it was up to his neighbor, Mrs. Lovett to tell him of the fate that befell his wife, Lucy. Lucy was dead. She poisoned herself after being raped by the Judge. Mrs. Lovett was left with a failing pie-shop, hardly any money and a child to care for. She had no option but to send young Johanna to the children's orphanage. That was where Benjamin Barker came to claim her back and run up the stairs carrying the sickly child.

'There now,' he mumbled to her. He was rather glad that she was making some movement; it had been so frightening to find her wasting away in the orphanage. He did not have time to remove his rain-soaked coat or shoes, so was sitting in the armchair by the fire in a considerable amount of layers. He gently gripped Johanna's arm and slowly rolled it between his hands until her cold, pink mottled skin became creamy white again. The crying had died down but snot and drool was rolling down her face and her eyes were bleary and bloodshot. She blinked up at her father with her blue eyes as he attempted a smile. In vain. Perhaps if he wasn't so worried about her Barker might have been happier to see his daughter. He didn't know if it was the overwhelming grief of his wife, the worry of his child's poor health or the terrible things he had seen and suffered in Australia that meant Benjamin Barker could not smile.

Johanna laid her head down on his chest, nuzzling into the warmth. Her face was sallow and gaunt and she was wearing a type of coarse cloth for a dress. Benjamin was itching to dress her in something more comfortable but according to Mrs. Lovett all of the baby's clothes had been sent to the orphanage with her and had obviously not been seen again. He cupped a hand around her head and softly stroked her downy yellow hair that reminded him of dandelion-fluff. She closed her delicate eyelids framed with white eyelashes and fell asleep in the comfort of his arms. He sat, petrified in the armchair, Johanna's rattling breaths breaking the silence of the room. The clock on the mantelpiece struck eleven. He rose slowly, lifting the sleeping child and laid her down in her cot which he had positioned in front of the hearth. She mumbled slightly in her as he did so, obviously missing his warmth and the comfort he brought her.

That night Benjamin Barker did not sleep. He paced the floorboards restlessly, the repetitive creaking noise audible from downstairs. Every so often he would hear a murmur from the cot and dash across the room to check on Johanna. She briefly awoke once. He'd leaned over and beamed a fake beam. 'Hello!' he'd said in that ridiculous way one speaks to a young child. She'd smiled sleepily and then returned to sucking her fist in her sleep. He'd forgotten how much he'd missed that sweet smile. He'd missed her babbling baby-talk, her sweet powdery smell, the way her hands would grip her mother's ringlets and the way her face dimpled when she laughed. He'd missed his family. About an hour after Johanna had awoken he began to think about Lucy and the things he missed about her: the way she looked in her muslin dresses, the way she'd bounce around the room with Johanna and the way her white gloved hand would fit neatly into his when they were walking down the streets of London. How could he avenge her? How could he make Turpin pay and suffer as much as she did? A tear glistened in his brown eye and he let it slide down his face but resisted any sobbing noises. Glancing over at the cot he realized his place was now to look after Johanna; and he was terrified.


	2. his little girl

2

In the hast of the former night, Benjamin had not fed, watered or cleaned Johanna. She was howling when he woke up, having fallen asleep in his armchair. He picked himself up groggily and went to stand over her cot. Her cries sounded pleading, helpless. Flem caught in her chest and rattled her breath, making her break out in a fit of acute coughs. Benjamin lifted her gently out of the blankets and patted her back firmly once her chin was anchored on his shoulder. Her howling whittled down to a whimper, as she was obviously enjoying the comforting repetitiveness of his hands as they hit the space between her shoulder blades again and again. He removed her from her from his shoulder and looked at her face properly in the light. The dried snot and drool from the night before was still crusting up her nose, now with a fresh addition. She was snuffling a little, her blue eyes fixed of Benjamin and her cheekbones protruding, but looked like she was going to be fine. He sighed and then smiled. It felt good to have the downwards crease lifted from his face.

After breakfast Mrs. Lovett dragged a small tin washbasin up the stairs to the barber's shop after filling it with water from the outdoors pump. She showed Benjamin how to check the water's temperature with his elbow before slowly lowering Johanna into it. She tutted when he peeled away Johanna's dress and revealed her grimy, squirming body underneath. The infant did not even have underclothes on, so her entire body was pink with scratches and cold. There were a number of bruises dotted around her body that made Benjamin enraged to see. 'I'm sorry,' Mrs. Lovett whispered. 'I thought it was for the best, leaving her at that place. I'm… I'm sorry.' He ignored her but failed to ignore the underlying foul smell coming from his daughter. He was happy enough to believe it was the disgusting dress that harbored such a smell, not… 'Oh,' Mrs. Lovett said when she saw, trying hard not to snigger. Johanna blinked up at him innocently with her big blue eyes, her soft tiny fists clutching the material of his jacket. He grimaced at the look and smell. 'Don't worry love, she's got most of it on that dress,' Mrs. Lovett explained, gingerly lifting the brown, soiled dress off the floor with the very tips of her fingers. 'You'll be ok to just bath her now.' Mrs. Lovett slowly descended down the stairs, the hand carrying the dress outstretched as far away from her face as possible. Benjamin was left to deal with Johanna.

He rolled up his sleeves in a determined manner and lowered the squirming child into the lukewarm water. He held her head with one hand and splashed pitchers of water over her with the other. He'd remembered the day she was born and how scared the couple was of hitting her head on anything or dropping her. Johanna independently splashed about a little, and seemed like she was enjoying her bath. Benjamin reluctantly wiped her backside with a piece of cloth, cleaned the rest of her with soap and wrapped her in a blanket. This always used to be Lucy's job. He brought Johanna's head up to his lips and kissed her as she head-butted his shoulder lovingly. 'Nice and clean,' he said to her.

After a while Mrs. Lovett emerged from downstairs again. 'Here,' she said, tossing a drawstring bag towards Benjamin. 'Put these on 'er.' He opened the bag and saw layer upon layer of white cloth. He picked a piece up and it was shaped oddly, with two large dints cut into the sides. 'I had to buy 'em,' she explained 'they're nappies. Slip her legs into those two holes… that's it… gently… now knot those two pieces together.' Benjamin obediently unraveled Johanna from the blanket, gently gripped her legs and pushed her into the nappy. 'I'll be back!' Mrs. Lovett chimed. 'Give me a pound or so darlin', an' I'll run down to the market and get 'er bonnets and whatnot.' He fished around in his pocket and produced two pounds.

'Get her anything else she needs,' he ordered, his eyes not leaving the baby for a second.

'Right you are Sir,' Mrs. Lovett gabbled, darting down the stairs and pushing the pie-shop door open.

For an hour Benjamin and Johanna were alone in the shop together. They sat down together in the armchair and he read a story to her whilst she sat on his knee unsurely. He'd smothered her in layers of blankets to keep her warm until the clothes arrived. No-one would have guessed that she was rather old for an infant and had been living with her father for the whole year of her life; Benjamin had no idea what he was doing. He asked numerous questions to himself like: is that snuffling sound normal? Should her head be wobbling so much? Should her breathing be so noisy? This was usually his wife's area of expertise. Eventually Mrs. Lovett returned, carrying bundles of clothes and books. She dropped everything on the floor. 'Does she really need all of that?' Benjamin squeaked.

'Yes. I told you, I sent everything off to the orphanage with her apart from her nappies.' Mrs. Lovett kneeled down next to him and spread all the baby things out around them. 'Now,' she said slowly like she was speaking to a three-year-old. 'This is what she wears under her dress,' she produced a small cotton petticoat from the pile. Benjamin slid the petticoat onto Johanna, being careful not to bend her delicate arms too much as he pushed them into the sleeves. Mrs. Lovett glanced at him, their brown eyes locking. 'Very good,' she said, maintaining her slow speech. 'Put this dress on next… no love, that's inside-out… and button the back up.' Mrs. Lovett had chosen a sweet, cream dress with white lace bordering the sleeves and chest. The skirts were fluffed up and lined with rows of embroidery and it fitted carefully at the back with a large ribbon. Benjamin slid on her socks and laced up her booties, then struggled to tie the small laced bonnet around her wobbling head.

Once Johanna was dressed Mrs. Lovett pointed out some more things, like her night-dress and new doll. From the bottom of the pile she produced a book of fairytales and a bottle. 'Fill this with milk,' she said. 'Twice a day. Come down into my shop and I'll warm it for her.'

'Thank You,' Benjamin smiled. It was wonderful to have Johanna dressed properly again, looking and feeling like his little girl again. He lifted her up and kissed her rosy cheek. Mrs. Lovett stopped hallway down the stairs and looked at the father and daughter framed in the doorway. Johanna's fingers were outstretched and she was squealing with delight; Benjamin was throwing her into the air in little bursts. Mrs. Lovett flattened herself against the door and let out a sigh. 'Always had a fondness for you, I did,' she whispered, but no-one heard.


	3. Turpin

3

Eight weeks later Benjamin opened his barbers shop. He was apprehensive and rather upset of the time he would miss with Johanna (he was paying Mrs. Lovett a sixpence each day to nanny her,) but glad to be opening the barbers shop again. It had been four months since he'd felt the glide of the razor on the leather strap, wiped the knife clean and watching it glint each time or smoothly gathered the soapy lather and stubble from the cheek. He'd missed that crackling sound of a cheek being shaved, and the silky ribbon of skin it left behind. He decided shaving would be an easier way to put Lucy out of mind as appose to looking at the blue eyes and stroking the yellow hair of their daughter. None the less, he missed Johanna.

Johanna missed him. For the past year many different people had looked after her: her parents, her mother, Mrs. Lovett, the orphanage, her father, and now Mrs. Lovett again. This was a vital stage in her life where she had to make a close attachment to somebody. All this switching around had made her confused. As soon as Benjamin handed her over to Nellie Lovett she began to howl. No matter how much Mrs. Lovett tried to jiggle her about, she wouldn't stop sobbing. 'Mama! Dada!' she wailed, lost and confused, like a baby lamb bleating helplessly at no-one in particular. The crying only subsided when she was carried upstairs and held by Benjamin. She sighed and laid her head on his chest again, stroking his velvet waistcoat. When Barker's first customer arrived she refused to be detached from her father again. Nellie sighed, exasperated, failing to entertain her. The customer looked a little put off but sat down and removed his tie none the less. 'I have a baby son at home,' he said as Barker lathered up his face with soap. The man was rather understanding of the situation, much to Benjamin's relief.

'Come on Johanna love!' Nellie yelled over the racket. She made it to the door with the child when the crying suddenly stopped. Mrs. Lovett spun on her heel and saw that Benjamin had started to shave the man. Johanna was transfixed. The three adults laughed, more with relief than anything. 'Just like you Ben,' Mrs. Lovett breathed. 'Amazin'.'

That's how it was for the next two years of Johanna's life. Her father would shave the faces of gentlemen and she was sit on Mrs. Lovett's (or auntie Nell's) knee and watch, transfixed. When she was a little baby her hands would outstretch and Barker would sometimes put a tiny blob of soap on the tip of her finger. When she got older she sat on the closed trunk lid alone and watched her father's quick, elegant fingers glide across cheek after cheek. Artist's work. Sometimes men would come with their wives and children and Johanna would always supply good company for them. Once, When Benjamin was cutting a man's hair Johanna and another little girl started playing a long, involved game of dolls. It was a pity when he'd finished his work, although he may have taken longer than necessary just to watch the girls play together.

Johanna hardly ever went outside. When she did it was with her Auntie Nell and or her father. Her father always wore a large hat to cover his face. She never knew why. When she was made to stay indoors she would often sit in the barber's chair facing the large skylight and read or sew to pass the time. Benjamin had taught her to read. Every night he would sit her on his knee and read books like '_Mary Had A Little Lamb.'_ The three-year-old was very articulate for her age.

Once, when they were walking through the flower market together, Benjamin crossed paths with another man, and the two glared at each other. The other man was tall and old with grey hair and a long coat. Beside him a small, plump man with greasy hair and yellow teeth grinned down at her. Not nicely. She caught the tall man's eyes and he stared at her for what seemed like an age. 'Come on darling,' her father muttered, steering her along. A cold shock shot through her once the two men had passed. It was a very unpleasant feeling, one in which father and daughter shared. The men were Judge Turpin and his Beadle. Barker was shaking with fear and rage. He hated the way Turpin was looking at Johanna.

'Daddy-' Johanna started, but was cut short when Benjamin lifted her up onto his shoulders. She squealed in delight and in the heat of the moment forgot all about the two men. Barker rushed his daughter home and the two sat together in silence for a while, the only noise being Benjamin sharpening his razor. 'Daddy,' Johanna said again. Her throat was dry. This was obviously a delicate subject. 'Daddy, who were those men at the flower market?' Barker could have dismissed this question by saying '_what men?'_ but then the question would drag on into a very long conversation. He looked down at her big, beseeching blue eyes and knelt down to her level.

'Johanna,' he said softly, moving a piece of long, wavy yellow hair out of her eyes. She looked so much like her mother, but her hands… those hands were artist's hands, long and elegant. He stroked them absent-mindedly as he spoke; it was better than looking her in the eye. 'Johanna… that man is a very bad man indeed. He is one of the nasty men we want to keep you away from… that's why we keep you in here.'

'Why?' she asked. Benjamin sighed.

'He's just… very nasty. And wants to do nasty things.' He looked up at her ocean eyes. 'To you.' A customer walked in as soon as the words escaped his lips. Shaving the man gave him time to think up what he would say next to Johanna. She was swinging her legs on the chest and plucking at her blue dress. Perhaps she had forgotten? When the man had left the shop he sent picked Johanna up and put her on his hip. She laughed again, and rested her head on his shoulder, like when she was a baby. He felt a surge of nostalgia rush back to him like a punch in the chest. 'How about we ask Auntie Nell to bake us a nice juicy pie for supper?' he jogged Johanna on his hip and she nodded her head slowly, biting her lip.

When supper was over he dressed Johanna in her nightgown, read her a Grimm's Fairytale and tucked her into bed. 'Goodnight darling,' he said, kissing her head. He stroked her yellow hair that was falling over her shoulders. 'Daddy loves you very much.'

'Johanna loves _you_ very much,' she echoed, stroking his hair too. Benjamin chuckled to himself, gave her one last kiss and left the room. Johanna's room was always locked at night. I guess Benjamin Barker fell into the category of a paranoid parent. After the fate that befell Lucy, after losing her, he had become sharper and more protective over Johanna. He thought for a while about Judge Turpin. Had he recognized him as Benjamin Barker? Hopefully not. The Benjamin Barker that the judge knew was a foolish boy of nineteen, who was far too young and far too underserving to have such a pretty wife and pretty daughter. This man was pale, with creases and lines on his face that he never had beforehand. His brown eyes were more of a dull black couler. His voice had dropped, his hair had faded into a very dark brown, almost black couler and his skin had become pale and taunt over his cheekbones. He crept downstairs to the pie shop. Mrs. Lovett was scrubbing down un-used tables. She was still madly in love with Benjamin, but would never let on, and if she did, he probably wouldn't notice. 'Hi love,' she said. He pulled out a chair and slumped down into it. 'You look like you could do with some gin. Rough day?' she shuffled over to the dresser, took a small glass and a bottle of gin from it and laid it down in front of him. Drinking it felt like swallowing fire. 'So tell me,' Nellie said, sitting down opposite him with a tea towel slung over her shoulder. 'What happened today?'

'I saw him. Judge Turpin. And the Beadle. Today. In the Flower Market. They were staring at my Johanna.' He spoke in small, sharp sentences. Mrs. Lovett gasped.

'Did they notice you?!' she squealed.

'No,' he answered calmly. 'They just past. Johanna was scared though… I think. Poor lamb.' He downed the glass and poured himself another.

'God, how _awful!_ I guess she does look the spitting image of her mother. You'd best keep her away from them, when she gets older.'

'Hmm.'

'Go easy on that gin!' Nellie snapped, snatching the bottle away. 'Goodness knows you'll be sick in the mornin'!' Benjamin sat in silence for a while until Nellie had finished scrubbing down tables.

'Night, love,' he mumbled, and kissed her cheek. Mrs. Lovett felt a fizz of excitement, an electric shock; but she knew he only kissed her like one kisses a brother or sister, and nothing more. As he walked away she sighed. She loved him so much. Didn't it make sense? If they were together then Johanna would have a mother; Mrs. Lovett had helped raise her after all. 'If you only knew,' she whispered.

Benjamin walked up the stairs and into his room. He still felt rather frazzled at the idea of the Judge. Perhaps he was just imagining Turpin's interest in Johanna. It was just a smile after all; _he _smiled at children all the time, but he never had that awful glint in his eye when he did. He fell drifted off as he normally did- fantasizing about Judge Turpin's death- and soon fell into a dreamless sleep. It would make his skin crawl knowing that Turpin was watching Johanna sleep. . .


End file.
